The Oracles of Tomesh [ON HOLD]

8 | A New Home

yhel (yel) noun

a place where one feels safe

Archaic; from the song about the first Oracle coming home

***

Nascha now knew why Alika was present when they took Karei out into the desert. She took the woman back and placed her here. But why? Did she kill Karei? For what?

Somehow, a part of her knew. Nascha felt sick just thinking about it as she gazed at Karei's unmoving form on that stone. She looked at peace. But she should not be dead. She was too young, had not even yet lived to her twenty-first rain to be with her rayeshka, a young man in the village who may now believe his wife was dying in the desert.

"Why?" The question rolled out in a whisper as soon as they took her gag off. No one answered her. Alika was just staring at her with her perpetual stern look. Kalesch was silent beside her, not looking at Nascha, but at the two priests. He gave a slight nod, and they walked away. Nascha was still bound, standing helplessly in front of them.

"You'll need her to be willing," Kalesch said to Alika.

The woman only nodded, stepping forward. "To be here tonight is an honor, Nascha."

Did she mean she, Alika, was honored to be in front of Nascha, the Oracle?

"Not everyone is given the honor of serving the king in the afterlife."

Blood drained down her face as she realized what Alika meant. Her eyes darted from Alika to Karei, then to Kalesch. The bastard! He took her here! He planned all this!

"No," was all she could muster. She stepped back, the little her binds would allow. "No!"

A flash of anger and irritation crossed Alika's beautiful face. Kalesch stepped forward. "I'll talk to her," he said to Alika.

"No, it's my duty as the priestess—"

He took Alika's hand and squeezed. Gentle, like a man would touch his lover. "I'll talk to her." Alika conceded with a smile before she turned. Nascha's jaw tightened at the sight, at the betrayal. How did she kill Kalesch in her stories again? She really hoped it was tonight, she thought, as he took another step toward her.

"Don't come near me," she warned.

Kalesch stood close, towering over her. "I'll tell you everything in the arnucc," he whispered.

"I don't want to go with you," she said, looking at the side to where Alika patiently stood.

"You want to," Kalesch gritted out. It was only then that his words sank in. The arnucc.

Hope, a tiny bit of it, sparked within her. Was this a part of his plan? If it was, then he was a genius! She did not say a word, and he took it as a yes. His hand wrapped around her arm. "I can't walk," she said. She was bound down to her thighs. He bent down, untied her, and straightened to full height, but leaving the binds around her wrists. She could run now, but the two priests could be outside standing guard.

This man was her rayeshka. They may not be the friendliest, but they should be a part of each other. There may be no love between them, but they were bound by Tomesh and the god of the desert, like the sands to their land, like the sun to the dunes. She should trust him blindly. Or, in this case, boundly.

"You don't have to take her away," Alika said as Kalesch led her by the hand.

"I have to," he said. "I need to show her something in the arnucc."